Centre for Learning, Teaching and Developmenthttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/94592016-09-06T11:14:49Z2016-09-06T11:14:49ZCommunity development workers programme: mentoring for social transformation in the public service in post-apartheid South AfricaGeber, HilaryMothlake, Bonahttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/94712012-02-14T14:28:54Z2008-01-01T00:00:00ZCommunity development workers programme: mentoring for social transformation in the public service in post-apartheid South Africa
Geber, Hilary; Mothlake, Bona
The new public sector community development workers (CDWs) programme was established in 2004 following ineffective service delivery through chronic under-spending on annual budgets in post-apartheid South Africa. CDWs receive training in learnerships within the National Skills Development Strategy to ensure access to and spending of local government poverty alleviation funding allocated for housing, childcare grants, and pensions and other services. As learnership mentors are mandatory, this research investigates the formal mentoring of CDWs after learnership programmes. CDWs and their mentors from two large municipalities participated. The main findings show inadequate formal mentoring of CDWs despite legislative requirements. Crucial mentoring for career development and psychosocial support is patchy and uneven. Social transformation of communities and access to government services and grants is likely to take longer than anticipated if CDWs are not adequately mentored during their training and in workplace learning.
2008-01-01T00:00:00ZCoaching for accelerated research productivity in Higher EducationGeber, Hilaryhttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/94682012-02-14T14:08:24Z2010-08-01T00:00:00ZCoaching for accelerated research productivity in Higher Education
Geber, Hilary
It is recognized that combining a thorough orientation to academic life and its expectations with intensive training in conceptualising research can accelerate the careers of early career academics. Unique to the structured support programme for research productivity and publication at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, was ongoing internal coaching of participants. In the study reported here in-depth interviews of participants and coaches were used to collect data. Internal coaches are academics without being experts in the participants’ disciplines. Goal alignment linked to both individual and organisational objectives resulted in tangible outcomes for research, publication and career changes. Less tangible outcomes concern the value of coaching; coaching during career or personal critical incidents and the important shifts in thinking which occurred. The outcomes have drawn additional funding to the University, and there is ongoing wider implementation across faculties of the programme with internal coaching.
2010-08-01T00:00:00ZTinkering, Tailoring, and Transforming: Retention of Scientific Excellence of Women Researchers through WiSER mentoringGeber, HilaryRoughneen, Carolinehttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/94672012-02-14T14:25:19Z2011-02-01T00:00:00ZTinkering, Tailoring, and Transforming: Retention of Scientific Excellence of Women Researchers through WiSER mentoring
Geber, Hilary; Roughneen, Caroline
Women are under-represented in academic grades in Higher Education, but more so in science, engineering and technology (SET) disciplines. This under-representation of women undermines the potential gains the community of science can attain by utilising the skills, talents and knowledge of all those who are trained to work in SET. The European Union statistics show that women are equally represented at undergraduate stage but become progressively more under-represented in the more senior academic positions. This article presents a case study of a mentoring programme in the Centre for Women in Science and Engineering Research (WiSER) at Trinity College Dublin. Its aim is the recruiting, retaining, returning and advancing women in academic science, engineering and technology. WiSER seeks to develop sustainable practices to ensure that women can compete in research in an equitable manner with male colleagues using their scientific expertise, knowledge and potential. The outcomes of the programme are reported for mentors, mentees and Trinity College and retention data are given for the women a year after the programme ended.
2011-02-01T00:00:00Z